[CANUFNET] Soil Cells, Salt, & Poor Leaf Expansion

[Alison Bond]

Hello CANUFNET,

I'm wondering whether anyone has come across this.  We have two streetscape projects (different municipalities) that include soil cells installed over the last two years.  The Freeman Maples, in particular, have been unsuccessful and typically leaf expansion begins and then stops.  The very small leaves turn brown, as though scorched.  On one project, Freeman Maples were also planted in sod and the trees are fine.

Both projects were installed by the same contractor and I believe they used soil from the same source.  In both projects, stormwater is directed to the soil cells from the catchbasins.

The contractor has indicated that it is the high salt level in the soil (in the soil cells) that is causing the trees to fail.  They have had the soil tested (probably at the tree pit) and it is high in salt.

That said, Freeman Maples have been used successfully in soil cells on other projects.

I haven't seen this symptom attributed to soil salt... where the buds break and the leaves start to expand, but then stop.  Is this a symptom of high salinity or is this perhaps something else, exacerbated by less than ideal soil salt levels?  I've had someone suggest maybe verticillium.  Any ideas?

[cid:image001.png at 01D8772A.AB051B40] [cid:image002.png at 01D8772B.08638AB0]

Thank you.

Regards,
Alison

Alison Bond BSc MSc BLA OALA CSLA
Landscape Architect and Certified Arborist

ENVISION-TATHAM Inc.
115 Sandford Fleming Drive, Suite 200, Collingwood, L9Y 5A6
abond at envision-tatham.com<mailto:abond at envision-tatham.com> I Tel: 705.445.0422<tel:7054450422> I Fax: 705.444.2327<tel:7054442327> I Cell: 705.994.2059<tel:7059942059> I www.envision-tatham.com<http://www.envision-tatham.com/>
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